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Turning 60 in 2 months - do I go all in?

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Turning 60 in 2 months - do I go all in?

Old 09-17-20, 11:29 AM
  #51  
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Or you can get this.......

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Ride hard and ride on......

Last edited by wthensler; 09-17-20 at 11:32 AM.
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Old 09-21-20, 08:43 AM
  #52  
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Originally Posted by blacknbluebikes
Once, when my daughter was very young (4?), she was going through the kitchen 'junk drawer' at her grandmother's house. She found a piece of wrapped hard candy and pulled it out. "What's this?" she asked her grandmother, knowing full well exactly what she'd found. "Oh," said my mom, "that' a piece of candy I was saving. You can have that." My daughter looked at her incredulously for a moment, then said "What are you saving it for?" There was no good answer to that one.

Hesitating on a new bike when turning the big six-o? What are you saving it for?
This is pretty much how I feel each time I see a cold beer.
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Old 10-05-20, 05:50 PM
  #53  
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My Bianchi just turned 5. I'm 67. Di2 is perfect for me, and the bike fits great. The bike was very expensive back then, but it's the best thing I bought in these 5 years.

I'm getting some aches and pains on longer rides, so I tend to do 50 miles or less. I just did a local hilly ride that was 33 miles and 3200 feet quite comfortably. We kept the pace dialed back a little.
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Old 10-06-20, 07:12 AM
  #54  
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Originally Posted by steeler_fanatic
so i just got back into cycling in 2018 after barely riding a bike over the prior 45+ years. I bought a nice aluminum disc brake trek domane as i wasn't sure how much i would ride. Two years, 60 lbs loss, and 26,000 km later i'm approaching my 60th birthday. I have no illusions about setting any kom's but i do like to see how far up the leader boards i can get. If i'm in the top 1/3 or better on the local segments, i feel satisfied. Lately i've been hearing the siren song of a new bike (looking at the 2021 emonda's). I feel like this may be a mid-life crisis moment but am throwing it out there - should i take a leap and go light, electronic and aero and use the domane for indoor trainer and gravel duty or just look to upgrade the domane?
yes
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Old 10-06-20, 10:32 AM
  #55  
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I turned 60 last month and have had a similar journey. I decided to go all in but in a slightly different way. I started collecting vintage bikes but not just to look at, I ride every single one of them.

60 comes with the realization that a great many things I used to enjoy are slipping away. I’m going down fighting and encourage anyone near this age to do the same. Whatever makes you happy, do it, do it now.
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Old 10-06-20, 11:17 AM
  #56  
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I voted for all in for myself, and I would say, screw the new bike, or car, or any toy. Do something adventurous. Hopefully this COVID thing will be done and dusted soon and you can do something you will remember to the end of your days. We had a nice car, and lots of bikes, but we had never done a long bike tour.

For my 60th I decided that I would ride across the 60th parallel. Closest place to do that was to ride from Edmonton to Hay River. Worked it all out. Mostly down hill, 650 miles with a lot of 100+ mile days in a row in the north of Alberta, but still doable if the wind was not blowing like stink. Mrs. Dan said "go and have a great time and send me an e-mail every time you can." Then I priced a flight from Hay River to Edmonton. That was a real eye opener.

So I started looking at places north of the 60th based, not on their proximity to me, but on cost of getting there. Seems that West Jet flies from Winnipeg to Scotland, England, or France for a very reasonable price. It turns out that the 60th parallel goes through Shetland Island. My wife and I flew to Glasgow and took a ship (I call it an ocean cruise) from Aberdeen Scotland to Lerwick. That was our first long tour on the tandem. It turned out to be the trip of a lifetime, until the next year when we rode up the Outer Hebrides and down Skye... It gets addictive. We both are feeling the need for a fix.
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Old 10-06-20, 07:35 PM
  #57  
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Someone has got to set all you geezers back on the right road! Of course he should not leap off the cliff with a new bike. He could break a hip! He could have a heart attack! he could deprive his kids of every single dime when he's gone! He might miss those damned kids on his lawn while out on that bike! He could miss all the important news out of Washington! He might forget just how old he really is! Best to just lean back in the lazy-boy, turn the volume up on CNN and start on that first crossword puzzle of the day. After all we're having salmon loaf and lima beans for lunch!
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Old 11-17-21, 05:51 PM
  #58  
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Closing the Loop

Originally Posted by Steeler_fanatic
So I just got back into cycling in 2018 after barely riding a bike over the prior 45+ years. I bought a nice aluminum disc brake Trek Domane as I wasn't sure how much I would ride. Two years, 60 lbs loss, and 26,000 km later I'm approaching my 60th birthday. I have no illusions about setting any KOM's but I do like to see how far up the leader boards I can get. If I'm in the top 1/3 or better on the local segments, I feel satisfied. Lately I've been hearing the siren song of a new bike (looking at the 2021 Emonda's). I feel like this may be a mid-life crisis moment but am throwing it out there - should I take a leap and go light, electronic and aero and use the Domane for indoor trainer and gravel duty or just look to upgrade the Domane?
So I did go all in. The Emonda finally arrived…


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Old 11-18-21, 09:33 AM
  #59  
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Congrats, what a beauty!
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Old 11-18-21, 10:05 AM
  #60  
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Your quite a bit past mid-life, more like two-thirds, but I’d still go for it!
Tim
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Old 11-18-21, 01:58 PM
  #61  
ratell
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You should always buy another bike.
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Old 11-18-21, 03:58 PM
  #62  
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Now that this thread has been revived, I'm tuning back in to say that I turned 60 this past spring. It was easy.

Of all of the landmarks, 50 was the only one that I found hard.

And it was hard beginning some time before, as I felt the approach.

Is it a coincidence that I found cycling just after my 49th birthday? No, I think not.
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Old 11-20-21, 02:40 AM
  #63  
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[QUOTE=Steeler_fanatic;22311351]So I did go all in. The Emonda finally arrived…


Congratulations, on the new bike and going all in- enjoy.
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Old 11-20-21, 05:51 AM
  #64  
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Originally Posted by TiHabanero
Be like everyone else and get an off the shelf bike made to fit the masses. Not for me. Go with a custom frame and quality components and you will have a bike made for you to fit you properly and not adapted to fit your body like off the shelf stuff. Add to that no one else will have the same bike, and you don't have to belong to their club to be in the know or be cool or whatever.
I went custom in 2001 and finally found comfort. The bike is made to fit me, not compromising anything. Add to that the geometry is mine, and unlike any other bike out there. Small little details such as the seat stay cluster is custom, the drop outs get compliments all the time by people who don't know it is custom. Tubing is a mix of vintage tubes and new tubes. The bike is perfect for the type of riding I do, which of course it was designed for. No compromises were made.
Just sayin' that spending 5 grand on a generic carbon aero wonder machine is kind of silly. How fast does one really ride to reap the benefits of aero? 20mph ain't gonna do it, my friends. Go custom and get something that is uniquely yours. Working with most all the custom builders is pleasant, very detailed, and rewarding. Just do it, you won't regret it.
By all means go custom if you need items to make you feel extra special and you want to start your own cool club or whatever.
Plus you get the added bonus of being able to forever bore everyone you know with your custom experience stories and ofc pictures
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Old 11-20-21, 09:33 AM
  #65  
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Hopefully, the pandemic, lockdowns, wfh, and improved bicycle infrastructure has helped the OP's endeavor. I'm glad he has recieved his bike(s) in the midst of shortages.
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Old 11-20-21, 10:37 AM
  #66  
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Steeler_fanatic Congrats on the bike! I missed the original post. But what I would have said was that you deserve the bike because of the fitness gains you made. Also, if it keeps you riding, then buy it.

I like the "Gray Ghost" graphic. In my case I just need to add a chrome dome to my bikes.
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Old 11-20-21, 10:56 AM
  #67  
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I can't think of a better 60th present than a new bike. Enjoy!
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Old 11-21-21, 01:44 AM
  #68  
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Since your 2018 Domane is disc, you need to find out the max tires you can stuff in there and try it out on some dirt.

Without rim brake calipers in the way, the only issue are the chainstays. But if you can get 35’s in there is would be worth a try as a smooth gravel bike.

John
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Old 11-21-21, 06:54 AM
  #69  
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Originally Posted by Steeler_fanatic
So I did go all in. The Emonda finally arrived…
Nice!. What year and model is your Emonda? I just recently turned 65 and bought a new 2022 Emonda SL 5 Disc a couple of months ago as a reward to myself after dropping from over 270 pounds to 180. Unfortunately, it's getting too cold and wet to ride it much this time of the year. I ordered carbon wheels too, but they aren't due to arrive until February. I'm heading south for the winter and taking my 2002 Klein Quantum with me. The Klein has a 53/39t chain ring setup and a 12-25t 9spd cassette. It's ideal for the flat roads of Florida. The Emonda has 50/34t chain rings and an 11-30t 11spd cassette, which is better for the hills of PA. The Emonda climbs like no other bike I've ever had. I love it.

Last edited by classic carl; 11-21-21 at 07:00 AM.
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Old 11-21-21, 10:14 AM
  #70  
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Good to read you treated yourself to another well deserved bike.
Hope you can keep improving.
I dont worry too much about competing against others and really just enjoy all my rides and try to goto different places and terrains. CA, TX & Fl are a good yearly mix for me.
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Old 11-21-21, 11:26 AM
  #71  
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Originally Posted by classic carl
Nice!. What year and model is your Emonda? I just recently turned 65 and bought a new 2022 Emonda SL 5 Disc a couple of months ago as a reward to myself after dropping from over 270 pounds to 180. Unfortunately, it's getting too cold and wet to ride it much this time of the year. I ordered carbon wheels too, but they aren't due to arrive until February. I'm heading south for the winter and taking my 2002 Klein Quantum with me. The Klein has a 53/39t chain ring setup and a 12-25t 9spd cassette. It's ideal for the flat roads of Florida. The Emonda has 50/34t chain rings and an 11-30t 11spd cassette, which is better for the hills of PA. The Emonda climbs like no other bike I've ever had. I love it.
Hi Carl - Similar story for me. Bought a bike in 2018 (Trek Domane ALR 5) to get some exercise and lose weight. Lost 60 lbs and rediscovered a love for cycling. My only other bike is a 1970’s vintage Batavis which I only use for very short throwback rides. Went with a 2022 Emonda SLR 6 eTap and upgraded the wheelset. Lots of nearby hills in NC and mountains within 2 - 3 hours. Ordered the bike in August and was quoted 14 month delivery so I was not expecting to see the bike this year. Surprisingly it shipped early🤯. Getting a bit chilly to ride now and I don’t have the FL option so I’ll be doing more trainer rides on the Domane in the nearer term😥. The rides so far on the Emonda have been fantastic - easily setting PR’s every time out. My chain ring is 48/35 with 10/36 cassette.
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Old 11-23-21, 04:14 PM
  #72  
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go for it
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Old 12-01-21, 10:52 AM
  #73  
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My mid-life crisis machine.

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